Automobile tire-chain connecter



Nov. 17,. 1925. 1,561Q897 c. T. ALLCUTT ET AL AUTOMOBILE TIRE CHAIN CONNECTER Filed Feb. 6, 192:2

INVENToRs Patented Nov. 17, lSfF UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER T. ALLCUTT Ann HARRY R. `van DEVENTER, 0E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANTA.

AUTOMOBILE TIRE-CHAIN. CONNECTER.

Application filed February 6, i922. atrial No. 534,334;

To @ZZ lwr/gom t may concer/v.:

Be it known that we, CHESTER T. ALL- Cr'r'r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident et' Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of lennsylvania, and Hanny R. VAN DEVENTER, a citizen ot the lUnited States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useliul Improvement in Automobile Tire-Chain Connecter-s, et which the following is a specii'ication.

Our invention relates to connecters and particularly to means tor connecting the ends ot automobile tire chains.

ne object oli our invention is to provide a device ot the above-indicated character that shall be simple and durable in construction, effective in operation and economical in its manufacture. y

Another object of our invention is to orovide an automobile tire chain connecter that shall permit the mounting ot the chains without raising or turning the wheels.

Another object of our invention is to provide an automobile tire chain connecter that shall permit a tire chain tobe relatively quickly and easily placed on a tire, in partially operatively connected condition., and that shall automatically complete the operative connection when the automobile is operated under its own power, or is otherwise moved.

A further object of our invention is to provide an eXtensible connecter that shall be so contractable and that-shall so embody manual and automatic locking features as to render very easy the operations of connecting members that may normally be brought together' only with great ditliculty.

'lhe mounting of anti-skid chains on the tires of automobiles has, tothe best ot our knowledge, heretofore been a tedious and difficult opera-tion, especially where a tire to be soequipped is in operative position on an automobile and resting on the ground under the weight of the car. When in such position, the chain is usually draped or hung over the tire and the car is either jacked up to raise the car from the ground or is moved on its wheel to turn one end of the chain. under the tire and out on the opposite side to permit joinder of the chain ends. Another method ot' mounting the chains is to place the chains on the ground or tioor and to move the carv'so as to posi- 'tion the' wheels over the. chains.

distantly removed from each. other or posi-A tioned on opposite sides ot' the groundengaging portion of a. tire. rlhe connecter preferably embodies a relatively stift' helical spring and means for holding or locking it in extended condition to facilitate the joinder ot the 'distant chain ends.

Then so joined and the means for locking it in extended condition is released, the connecter is in condition to automatically contract to locked position, wherein the chain properly and securely mounted on the tire, whenL the car is started on, or resumes, a trip. In other words, the connecter responds to a usual movement ot the car and does ynot require jacking` or back and' forth shitting to complete the operation` ot mounting a chain. Further, the above-mentioned means for locking or holding the connecter in extended condition may be released by either a relatively slight movement ot the operators hand or by a slight twisting or jarring movement which will occur vwhen the car is started.

Fig. l ol the accompanying drawing, is a. longitudinal or plan view, partially in seetion, et' a connecter constructed in accordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in section, of the device shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a View, similar to Fig. l, et a modi'lied form 01' our invention, with parts omitted.

'roA i Fig. 4 is a side view of the device shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a tragmentary vieu7 ot an automobile Wheel, tire and chain, showing the connecter ot our invention in extended condition and joined to the remote ends of the chain, and

Fig. 6 is a view, similar to Fig. 5, showing the connecter in contracted and locked position after the wheel has turned.

As illustrated in Figs. and (i, an automobile tire 1, mounted on a Wheel 2, is adapted to receive a usual multi-part linked chain device 2S comprising parallel. side chains 4, only one oif which is shown, that are disposed on opposite sides ot the tire and joined by a plurality oi' perimetrically spaced relatively short cross link sections 5, in a usual and well-knowiii manner.

As may be seen in Fig. 5, opposite ends 6 and 7 of one of the side chains 4 may ordinarily not -be brought sufficiently close together, by reason of the position of the Wheel on the Hoor or ground, to connect the same by ordinary means and other expedients have heretofore been resorted to. One method of mounting the device 3 has heretofore been to jack up the vehicle so as to permit the ends 6 and 7 to be brought together under, or at other position on, the Wheel 2. Another method has been to place the device 3 in longitudinally extended position on the floor or ground and to push or drive the vehicle to proper position thereov-er. A further method has been to place the device 3 on the tire 1, somewhat as viewed in Fig. 5, and to push or drive the vehicle over one of the ends 6 and 7 so as to bring the ends in juxtaposition at one side ot the wheel.

ln any of the above-described methods, a great deal of unnecessary labor and lossI ot time are entailed., besides the inconvenience ot such manipulation even When effected under the most iavorable circumstances.

lffe propose to overcome all of the abovedescribed difficulties and to render the operation of mounting a vehicle tire cha-in eX- tremely simple and expeditious by the use ot a connecter 8 embodying our invention.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6, the conneeter 8 comprises a tubular link or terminal member 9 having a llattened end portion 10 and a hook or eye 11 ior the reception of one oi the ends 6 or 7 of the side chain 4, shown in this instance as connected to the end t. The tubular member 9 is prov1ded vith a longitudinal ,slot 12, in one side thereot, having a laterally-extending opening or notch 13, at one end, and a similar oppos lv laterally-ez-ztending opening 14, at the ot end. A link, bar or plunger` rod 15, ha ving a hook or eye portion 16 at its outer or free end for the reception ot the opposite end 7 ot the portion 4, is disposed longitudinally in the tube 9 and is provided, at its inner end, with a laterally-projecting or hook portion 17 that extends through the slot 12. A helical spring member 18 is secured, at its end 19, to the attened portion 10 of the member 9 and extends around and along the latter to t-he eye portion 16 of the plunger rod 15, around which the opposite end 2O of the spring 18 is bent or hooked.

The end 19 of the spring 18 is hooked through an openingl 21 in the portion 10 and extends from one side of the latter to the opposite sid-e oit the eye portion 16, at the opposite end ot' the device. The spring 18 is mounted in position While under torsional stress so that the tubular member 9 and the .rod 15 tend to turn relatively to each other.

The spring 18 is also stressed longitudinally and tends to dravv the rod 15 into the tubular member 9.

in operation, after the tire chain 3 has been placed on the tire Atrom above, the ends 6 and 7 oft the portion 4 are brought as close together as permissible in view oit the position ot the Wheel 1 on the floor or ground, somewhat after the manner shown in Fig. 5.

The connecter 8 may, at any time before or after the above operation, be so extended against the inward-drawing tendency of the spring 18 as to permit the hook portion 17 thereof to be turned, against the torsional bias of the spring, into the notch 13. rllhe latter is slightly undercut, in the direction of contraction of the spring, to hold the conn-ecter in extended condition against the torsional bias of the spring with sulicient security to permit its being safely handled during the mounting operation. llVith the connecter so extended, it is ot such length as to permit the ends 6 and 7 when in the above-described relation as shown in Fig. to be easily connected at the bottom ol? the tire 1, without jacking up or moving the vehicle in any manner. When the device is connected, the operator pulls one end of the device so as to release the end 17 of the plunger 15 Yfrom the under cut portion of the notch 18. The torsional bias of the spring 18 then throws the end 17 into the straight portion ot the slot 12, and'the device is no longer locked in the extended position.

lilith the con'ipletion of the above-described operations the operators part in n'lounting the chain is completed and he need nel` give it any turther attention.

llllhen the vehicle is thereafter moved .on its wheels in a usual manner, the ivheel 1 will run over one ot the end cross-link chain sections 5, as illustrated in Fig. 6, to thus render both ot the end cross-link sections 5 'free to move toward each other. H the hook portion 17 has been previously moved out of the notch 18, by a slight hand manipulation. as described above, the connecter 8 will contract to a condition, illustrated in Fig. 6, in

which the hook portion 17 has been moved, by the longitudinal and torsional bias of the spring 18, into the notch 14. Thus, the ends 6 and 7 of the chain 3 are automatically drawn to the final operative position thereof on the tire 1 and automatically locked against displacement therefrom.

If the hook portion 17 has not been previously moved out of the notch 13, bj; nand manipulation, it will move out of its own accor-d in response to jarring of the moving vehicle or in response to any slightl stretching of the spring 18 caused by the centrifugal force of the moving tire andthe automatic contracting and locking operation will be completed as above described.

Further, since the slot 12 is closed at its end adjacent to the notch 13, there is no likelihood of separating the members 9 and 15 or of stretching the spring 18 beyond its elastic limit. This feature also ensures that the chain 3 will not be thrown off the wheel, should any adverse influence tend to, prevent the operation of the connecter 8.

In the form of our invention, shown in Figs. 3 and et, in which similar reference characters represent similar parts, the spring 18 has been omitted for clearness. in this form of the connecter 8, the tubular member 9 is provided with a pair of the slots 12 oppositely disposed thereabove and each having the notch 13 therein. The plunger rod 15, instead of having the single hook portion 17, is ay straight rod or bar having a pin 22 extending therethrough, at its inner end, and through the slots 12. Also, instead of the single inner locking notch 14,'each of the slots 12 communicates with a multi-step notch or opening 28, the steps 24, 25 and 2G of which are successively `offset both longitudinally and laterally. Vith this construction, the pin 22 will be locked in accordance with the amount of movement required to move the chain ends 6 and 7 together and is preferably adapted to initially lock in the notch 24. increases in length, as frequently occurs, the increased length will be automatically taken up by the movement of the pin 22 into the next notch 25, and so on. The notches 24;, 25, etc., may obviously be of any size or number to effect any desired degree of adjustment of the chain.

The connecter of our invention is exceedingly simple, rugged and durable in construction and economical to n'ianufacture. ily its use, the operation of mounting` the chain is facilitated to a high degree, the chains are effectively held in proper position and a desirable automatic compensation for expansion or stretching of the chains is obtained.

lhile we have shown and described particular forms of our invention, changes may After thus locked, if the chain 3V be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A device tor connecting the ends of a vehicle tire chain comprising an extensible structure normally resiliently biased to contracted condition, means for holding the same in extended position and lmeans for automatically locking the structure in contracted condition when released frcnt said held position.

2. A connecter comprising two eye members, a connectingV helical sp inv' biased te contracted condition and means for locking the same in predetermined extended condition.

3. A connecter comprising tivo eye members, a helical spring connecting the same' biased to contracted condition, means for locking the same in predetern'iincd extended condition and means for locking the same in contracted condition.

et. A connecter comprising two eye menibers, a helical spring connecting the san-1o biased to ycontracted condition, means r locking the same in predetermined extended condition and means for automatically loci:- ing the same in contracted condition.

5. A connecter comprising two eye meinbers, a helical spring connecting the same biased to contracted condition, means for locking the same in extended condition, means for preventing the extension thereof beyond a predeterminedk limit and meansy for locking the same` in contracted condition.

6. A connecter comprisingv two eye meinbers, a helical spring connecting` theA same having means for locking the same against displacement in predetermined extended and contracted conditions, said means effecting one of said locking actions automatically.

7. A connecter comprising two eye members, a helical spring connecting the same having means lfor locking the same against displacement in predetermined extended and contracted conditions, said means effecting one of said locking actions automatically, and means for preventing the extension thereof beyond a predetermined limit.

8. In an automobile tire-chain connecter comprising a tubular terminal member having a longitudinal slot and a lateral opening intercepting the slot, a second terminal member having a. portion disposed in the tube and a laterally extending portion in the slot, and a helical spring for drawing the terminal members together and having torsional bias to move said laterally-extending portion into said lateral opening.

9. An automobile tire-chain connecter comprising a tubular terminal member hav-- ing a longitudinal slot extending between positions inwardly removed from each end thereof and a lateral opening intercepting posed in the tube and a laterally- "ending portion in the slot. and a helical ring eonnetod between the terminal niembei's to dran' the saine together and having' orsirfnal bias to move said laterally extending portion into said lateral opening.

i0. Kn automobile tireeehain o nneetei' eon'ipris-,ing 1 tubular terminal member having' a longitudinal slot and a pluralityv ot optelf.' extending' lateral openings intereeptg the slot. a second terminal member hav- "t ion disposed in the tribe and a latinsuline' portion in the slot. the latter :on rfi-operating with one ot said lateral j; n' "s 'lo holo the connecte' in extended condition. and a helical sprint`vil connected the terminal members to draw the ybei' and having' torsional bias to laterallyezniending portion into a second terminal member havingl a more said the other literal opening.

li. automobile tire-chain connecter compris fg tabular terminal member having' a long ndinal slot es; ending` between positions inn'azdlv removed from each end thereof and a stepped lateral opening inte eeptinfr the slot. a second terminal member havingl a portion disposed in the tube and a latwally-extending portion in the slot, and a helical spring` connected between the terminal members to draw the same together and having' torsional bias to move said laterallyextending portion into said lateral openinof.

12. An automobile tire-chain connecter comprising telesooped terminal members, a lock portion on one thereof, a pluralposition look-receiving portion on the other and a'helieal spring Connecting said members to draw the same together and havii'ig torsional bias to move said .leeg portion into loeling felation to one ot said positions ol" t lock-reeeiif'ing portion in accordance 'vriih the degree of approach permitted by the eoinieetef'l ti i'e-ehain ends.

connecter eoinprising; a helieal tension spi'in and means for locking; the springv l "V fl l Conditionj and eontraetfn i' being under toisional strain innoek. g 'trom its extended Vion and to autoniatiCall);7 loel it in its 'teil condition.

onneeer Comprising a helical tenand mean for locking' the spring ended and contracted Conditions, eine; being' nnder tension in both .ed and eonti'aeteffl Conditions and nndei xn'sional strain to facilitate uni f f from its extended eondition and to antoniatieallj.' loel; it in its contracted condition.

l5. .i tire-chain eo .neeter connprismg a CHESTER T. ALLCUTT. HARRY R. VAN DEVENTER. 

